Fence post



Aug. 11, 1959 L R ETAL 2,899,175

FENCE POST Filed Feb. 28, 1957 /6 F 1g. 3 L /3 I 5 Y /0 6/ Z Fig. 4 I w i 5 7 iv v 5 George 6. Culver a 9 Walter L. Culver INVENTORS.

BY M M,

Units 2,899,175 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 fire FENCE POST George G. Culver and Walter L. Culver, Roachdale, Ind. Application February 28, 1957, Serial No. 643,071

1 Claim. (Cl. 25648) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in metal posts particularly for wire fences and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a post of this character comprising novel wire securing means.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a metal fence post of the aforementioned character to which the wire may be expeditiously applied and from which said wire may, if desired, be readily removed with a minimum of eflort and in an undamaged condition.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a fence post of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence post constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section through an intermediate portion of the post;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of an intermediate portion of the post; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View in vertical section through an intermediate portion of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of said drawing comprises a post of suitable metal which is designated generally by reference character 5. The post 5, which may also be of any desired dimensions, is substantially T-shaped in horizontal section, said post including a flat metallic front bar 6 and a flat metallic back bar or flange 7. At its lower end the post terminates in a point 8 to facilitate driving said post into the ground. Mounted on the lower end portion of the post 5 is a ground anchor 9.

At vertically spaced points, the back bar or flange 7 of the post 5 has extending inwardly and then down- Wardly thereinto from its free longitudinal edge and at vertically spaced points, a series of bayonet slots 10 for the reception of the longitudinal or line wires of a fence, as indicated at 11. The back bar or flange 7 of the post 5 is further provided, in its inner portion, with a plurality of bores or openings 12 which are aligned with the entrances 13 of the bayonet slots 10. The front bar 6 of the post 5 has formed therein a series of vertically spaced threaded openings 14 which are aligned with the bores or openings 12.

Substantially bullet shaped bolts or plungers 15 are slidably mounted in the bores or openings 12. The

plungers 15 are adapted to close the vertical portions of the bayonet slots 10, the noses 16 of said plungers being engageable with the angles or corners 17 of said bayonet slots. Kerfed plugs 18 are screwed into the openings 14. Coil springs 19 are mounted under tension between the plugs 18 and the plungers 15 for yieldingly urging said plungers toward operative position.

It is thought that the invention will be readily understood from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the members 6 and 7 of the post 5 may be welded or otherwise suitably secured together, as through the medium of bolts or Screws 20. The plungers 15 and coil springs 19 are inserted in the bores or openings 12 and the plugs 18 are screwed into the openings 14 for compressing said coil springs. In this manner the plungers 15 are yieldingly urged toward operative position. To engage the fence Wire 11 in the bayonet slot 10, said wire is inserted transversely in the entrance 13 of said bayonet slot and forced past the nose 16 of the plunger 15 in an obvious manner. The bayonet slots 10 are spaced to accommodate the longitudinal or line wires of a conventional fabric fence or the strands of a barbed wire fence. To detach the wire from the post when desired the plungers 15 are retracted against the tension of the coil springs 19 in any suitable manner.

In the modification of Figure 4 of the drawing, reference character 21 designates a kerfed, externally threaded socket which is screwed into aligned threaded openings which are provided therefor in the members 6 and 7 of the post 5, as indicated at 22 and 23, respectively. The socket 21 is aligned with the entrance 13 of the bayonet slot 10 and slidable in said socket is a substantially bullet shaped bolt or plunger 24 for closing said slot and retaining the fence wire therein. A coil spring 25 in the socket 21 yieldingly urges the plunger 24 toward operative position. In other respects, this form of the invention is substantially similar in construction and operation to the embodiment of Figure 1 of the drawing.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A substantially T-shaped metallic fence post comprising: a flat front bar and a flat back bar on one side of said front bar at right angles thereto and having longitudinally spaced bayonet slots therein for the reception of fence wire, sockets threaded into the front and back bars in alignment with the entrances of the bayonet slots and communicating therewith, and substantially bulletshaped, spring actuated plungers slidable in the sockets and yieldingly engaged with the angles of the bayonet slots for releasably securing the wire therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 851,445 Seymour Apr. 23, 1907 1,565,707 Brown Dec. 15, 1925 2,556,741 Reyburn June 12, 1951 2,685,824 Coop Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 441,159 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1936 

